The BBC have confirmed that Mark Chapman, Kelly Cates and Gabby Logan will share presenting duties on Match of the Day from next season.
It was confirmed at the tail end of 2024 that Gary Lineker would be leaving the show, having hosted the programme ever since the departure of Des Lynham to rivals ITV in 1999.
In the wake of that announcement, speculation went into overdrive as to who would fill his boots.
And the BBC have now confirmed that Chapman, Cates and Logan will share presenting duties on the popular football highlights show.
Gary Lineker will leave Match of the Day at the end of the current season
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A statement on the BBC website said: "The BBC’s flagship football show, Match of the Day, will be presented by Kelly Cates, Mark Chapman and Gabby Logan from next season.
"For the first time, the role of lead presenter across the BBC’s iconic Premier League highlights programmes, Match of the Day and Match of the Day 2, and the latest addition to the BBC’s football highlights portfolio, Match of the Day Champions League, will be shared by three presenters.
"The highly respected trio, who also work across other parts of BBC Sport, will be at the heart of BBC Sport’s stellar football team that includes Alan Shearer, Micah Richards, Alex Scott, Jason Mohammad, Kelly Somers, John Murray and Steve Crossman."
Logan, reacting to her new gig, said: "It’s always a real moment [sitting in the chair] because it has such history.
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"It’s still so relevant to so many people now and talked about in a landscape where TVs changed so much."
“There’s an enormous responsibility to make sure we continue to evolve while at the same time respecting the traditions of Match of the Day.
"People want to see the goals, they want to see the incidents, they want to see the moments everyone’s talking about, so while we can tinker at the edges, the core is the football.”
Cates, who is the daughter of Liverpool legend Sir Kenny Dalglish, is joining from Sky Sports - though will continue to work for them as well.
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She said: “Once I sit in that chair and the theme music starts, I just know that’s going to be a really incredible moment.
"I’ve worked with a lot of the pundits before and they’re all fantastic, so I’m just looking forward to getting started.
“I’ve known Gabby and Mark really well for years so to bring it all together, embracing the digital side of things, it feels like a really comprehensive football package for fans and that’s what makes it so exciting too.”
And Chapman, who has previously spearheaded the BBC's coverage of the Match of the Day 2, stated: “This isn’t about the three of us, it’s about the three of us plus our pundits, plus our editors, plus our analysts and stats people and production people, radio and online. Genuinely this is about all of us as a department working together.
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Kelly Cates will be one of three presenters on Match of the Day from next season
PA"I know the history of a lot of radio programmes and TV programmes and I do feel honoured to be following in the footsteps of the people that we are following in and respectful of what they have done.”
BBC chief Alex Kay-Jelski has been overseeing the changes.
He was keen to freshen up Match of the Day after so many years of Lineker presenting the show.
And he can't wait to see how viewers respond to the alterations made, with Kay-Jelski saying: “I know viewers will love these three incredible broadcasters and journalists at the heart of our football coverage next season.
Gabby Logan and Mark Chapman are also set to present BBC Match of the Day from next seasonTheSportsAgents"They’re brilliant at what they do and Match of the Day viewers can be sure they will be well looked after as the big football talking points are expertly analysed.
“Gary has done a phenomenal job at Match of the Day for the last 26 years, he’ll be missed greatly and we all still get to enjoy him on our screens across some of football’s greatest tournaments.
“Outside of Match of the Day we’ve got some great new shows, voices and surprises lined up for the 2025/26 season across audio, video and digital and we look forward to sharing them with you all later in the year.
"It’s a truly exciting time for BBC Sport’s football coverage.”
